Apparatus and method for communications
A personal communications device is integrated with a hat. The hat provides support for the communications device and may also protect a user against the elements (e.g., rain, sun, snow). The hat may be made of any of a variety of lightweight, “breathable” materials, such as cloth, straw, or nylon mesh, for example. The hat may also be of any style (men's or women's), including, but not limited to; billed caps, such as baseball caps; brimmed caps, such as a fedora; and brimless hats, such as stocking or watch caps. The communications device may take the form of a two-way radio or a cellular telephone, for example.
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FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe invention relates to communications and, in particular, to a convenient housing and support for personal communications devices.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONPersonal communications devices find many applications and take many forms. Two-way radios are employed by coaches on the sidelines of a football game, by arborists, and by other workers trying to keep in touch with their compatriots. Cellular telephones are ubiquitous and, in some countries, are the default means of communications, taking precedence over landline telephones. The portable nature of such devices (that is, two way radios, cellular telephones, and personal music players) encourages users to multi-task with them; a pedestrian or driver may engage in a cellular telephone conversation while walking or driving, a coach may engage in a spirited conversation on the sidelines as he races towards a field official, or an arborist may talk to fellow workers on the ground as he trims branches high in a tree.
Attempts have been made to provide hands-free operation for communications devices. Many cellular telephone users employ headsets to speak as they walk along a sidewalk or drive in their cars. Headsets provide no protection from the elements (e.g., the rain and snow) Two-way radios are sometimes attached to hardhats, so that construction workers may communicate with one another while working. Hard hats, however, are extraordinarily cumbersome and uncomfortable, due to both their weight and their lack of breathability. By a lack of breathability, I mean that little or no fresh air can get to a wearer's head to help cool the wearer).
Current alternatives do not, however, provide a communications system that allows hands-free operation, provides protection from the elements, and due to its breathability, is comfortable.
An apparatus and method for the housing and support of personal communications devices that provides protection from the elements, is comfortable to the user, and complements a user's apparel would therefore be highly desirable.
SUMMARYIn accordance with the principles of the present invention, a personal communications device is incorporated with a hat. The hat provides support for the communications device and may also protect a user against the elements (e.g., rain, sun, snow) while providing a fashionable complement to the user's wardrobe.
The hat may be made of any of a variety of lightweight, “breathable” materials, such as cloth, straw, or nylon mesh, for example. The hat may also be of any style (men's or women's), including, but not limited to; billed caps, such as baseball caps; brimmed caps, such as a fedora; and brimless hats, such as stocking or watch caps. The communications device may take the form of a two-way radio, a cellular telephone, or a personal music player, IPod™ for example. The personal communications device includes the elements of a headset (that is, a transceiver, a microphone, and one or more earphones) and, in a cellular telephone embodiment, may also include a handset for dialing, or a display. The communications device may also respond to oral commands.
In addition to offering protection from the elements and providing a fashionable accessory, an integrated communications hat in accordance with the principles of the present invention may provide advertising space for logos. In particular, a baseball style communications hat in accordance with the principles of the present invention may incorporate a logo, such as a Boston Red Sox™ logo, a New England Patriots™ logo, or, for a different market, a DeKalb™ seed corn logo.
In one aspect of the invention, earphones may be incorporated in the hat in a position proximate to a wearer's ears. The earphones may be housed within pockets in such locations or attached to flaps, sliders, pivots or other mechanisms that allow the earphones to be moved from a retracted position to a position directly over the wearer's ears. All manner of earphones, including every size from buds that are insertable into a wearer's ears to earphones that fully encompass a wearer's ears are contemplated within the scope of the invention.
In a cellular telephone embodiment of a communications hat in accordance with the principles of the present invention, a handset or keypad may be housed in the hat in a location that is convenient for dialing. For example, a handset may be housed in a pocket on the bottom side of a baseball-style hat's brim. Additionally, the hat may include a global positioning system (GPS) locator unit or a personal music player, either in conjunction with a cellular telephone, or as a stand-alone component.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSThe above and further features, aspects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, taken together with the accompanying drawings in which:
The conceptual block diagram of
In accordance with the principles of the present invention, the hat 102 provides support for the communications device 104 and may also protect a user against the elements (e.g., rain, sun, snow) while providing a fashionable complement to the user's wardrobe. The hat 102 may be made of any of a variety of lightweight, “breathable” materials, such as cloth, straw, or nylon mesh, for example. The hat 102 may also be of any style (men's or women's), including, but not limited to; billed caps, such as baseball caps; brimmed caps, such as a fedora; and brimless hats, such as stocking or watch caps.
In the illustrative embodiment of
Turning now to the bottom plan view of
The sectional view of
The sectional view of
In an embodiment illustrated in the side elevation view of
The back elevation view of
The sectional view of
The foregoing description of specific embodiments of the invention has been presented for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, and many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The embodiments were chosen and described to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application, and to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention. It is intended that the scope of the invention be limited only by the claims appended hereto.
Claims
1. An apparatus comprising:
- a hat; and
- a personal communications device incorporated into the hat.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the hat is a breathable hat.
3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the hat is made of woven cloth.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the hat is a baseball-type cap.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the hat includes a logo.
6. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the bill of the hat accommodates a keypad.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the personal communications device includes earphones situated on either side of the hat proximate a wearer's ears.
8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the earphones are retractable.
9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the earphones are configured to pivot for retraction.
10. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the earphones are configured to slide for retraction.
11. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the earphones are supported by flaps that are configured to be lowered for direct engagement with a wearer's ears.
12. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the earphones are bud-type earphones deployable from the hat for insertion in a wearer's ears.
13. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the communications device is a cellular telephone.
14. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the communications device is a two-way radio.
15. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the communications device comprises:
- a headset;
- a microphone; and
- a transceiver.
16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the hat incorporates the headset, microphone and transceiver directly.
17. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the hat incorporates the headset and microphone directly and the hat further comprises:
- a junction box configured to receive a connection to the transceiver.
18. The apparatus of claim wherein the communications device comprises flexible electronic components.
19. An apparatus comprising:
- a hat;
- a microphone supported by the hat;
- an earphone supported by the hat; and
- a transceiver configured to interoperate with the microphone and earphone supported by the hat.
20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the transceiver is supported by the hat.
21. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the transceiver comprises a cellular telephone.
22. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the transceiver comprises a global positioning system locator.
Type: Application
Filed: Aug 5, 2004
Publication Date: Feb 9, 2006
Inventor: John Burns (Essex, MA)
Application Number: 10/912,604
International Classification: H04M 1/00 (20060101); H04M 9/00 (20060101);